Clothes wringer



Aug. 13, 1940. Q J F|L|A 2,211,599

CLOTHES WRINGER Filed July 15, 1958 :s sheets-sheet 1 His Abtormg.

e J. Filial,

Aug. 13, 1940.. G. J. FILIA CLOTHES WRINGER Filed July 15, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: George J. Filia.

Attorn.

Aug. 13, 1940. G. J. FILIA CLOTHES WRINGERl Filed July 15, 1938 -3 sheet-sneet s Inventor: George J. Fille,

kw E/ JM/W1 Hisy Attorn.

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 I' CLOTHES WRINGER George J. Filia, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a'corporation of New York Application July 15, 1938, Serial No. 219,387

Claims.

The present invention relates to clothes wringers of. the type suitable for use with domestic washing machines.

The object of my invention is to provide an 5 improved construction and arrangement in clothes Wringers, and for a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following description and the claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a wringer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation partly in section showing the wringer mechanism; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an exploded view of one end of the control bar and the associated parts; and Figs. '1, 8 and 9 are views showing the position of the control bar during the operation of the wringer.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a wringer having a frame'comprising side stiles I and 2 connected by a bottom frame member 3 which is bolted to the'under side of the side stiles. The side stile I is integral with a frame supporting the driving mechanism for the'wringer and having a depending tubular sleeve 4 which rotatably fits over the upper end of the wringer post 5 of a domestic washing machine and supports the wringer thereon. At the lower end of the sleeve 4 is a iiange 6 which rests on a collar l fixed to the wringer post 5. The collar I has a series 'of openings 8 which cooperate with the lower end of a detent pin 9 to hold the wringer in one of a plurality of fixed positions. The pin 9 is slidable in a recess I0 in the sleeve 4. It is biased into engagement with the openings 8 by means of a coil spring II arranged between the bottom of the recess I0 and the upper end of. the pin. The pin is lifted out of engagement with the openings 8 by means of a handle I2 which projects to the outside of the wringer through a slot I3. Movement of the pin 9 is limited by engagement of the handle with the upper and lower edges of, the slot.

The wringer is driven by a vertical shaft I4 which is journaled in a bearing I5 at the upper end of the wringer post 5 and which is rotated by any suitable means, for example the driving mechanism for the washing machine. The upper end of the shaft I4 projects beyond the upper end of the wringer post 5 and fixed thereon is a coupling member comprising a collar I6 having diametrically opposite pin-like projections I1 which fit in slots I8 in the lower end ofa tubular coupling member I9. The upper end of the coupling member I9 telescopes over the lower end of a stub shaft which is journaled in a bearing 2l carried in a tubular portion 22 integral with the side 'stile I and forming a continuation of the sleeve 4. The lower end of the shaft 20 is coupled to the coupling member I9 by means of. a pin 23 fixed to the coupling member I9 and fitting in a slot 24 in the lower end of the shaft 20. 10 The above described arrangement provides a coupling between the shaft I4 and the shaft 20. which does not require accurate alignment. l

On the upper end of the shaft 20 is fixed a bevel gear 25 which meshes at all times with 15 bevel gears 26 and 21 rotatably carried on a splined shaft 28. Between the bevel gear 25 and the upper end of. the bearing 2| is a thrust washer 29. The left end of the splined shaft 28 is journaled in a bearing 30 carried on an arm 3l integral with the side stile I. The right end of the shaft 28 has a. cylindrical coupling member 32 pinned thereto which rotates in a bearingv 33 carried in a boss 34 in the side stile I. The bearing 33 therefore serves as a support for the right 25 end of, the shaft 28.

The gears 26 and 2l are rotated in opposite directions by the gear 25. The .direction of rotation of the shaft 28 can, therefore, be reversed by selectively connecting one or the other of the 30 gears 26 and 2'I to the shaft. This is effected by means of a slidable clutch member 35 -splined on y the shaft 28. On opposite sides, the clutch member is provided with teeth 36 (shown only on the side facing gear 21) which cooperate with re-g 35 f cesses 3l in the gears 26 and 2'I to couple one of the gears to the shaft 28. In the position shown in Fig. 2 the clutch member 35 is in the neutral position in which the shaft 28 is stationary. The clutch member 35 is moved to the left or right 40 along the shaft 28 to the coupling positions by means of a tongue 38 which fits in an annular groove 39 in the clutch member. The tongue 38 is fixed to the under side of, a channel-shaped shifting lever 4l) which is slidable on bosses 4I 45 and 42. The sliding movement of the shift lever 40 is limited by a pin 43 fixed in the boss 4I and projected through an elongated slot 44 in the lever 40. The left end of the lever 40 is held against the'boss 4| b`y means of a washer 45 fixed 50 to the projecting end of the pin 43. At the right end of the shifting lever 4p is a cylindricalpinlike projection 46 which slidably fits in a channel formed by the depending side walls 4l of a'lever 48. Integral with the upper-side of the lever 48 55 is a pin 49 by means of which the lever 4B is pivoted on a bracket 50 xed to a member 5I slidably carried in a slot 52 (Fig. 5) in the side stile I. The member 5| is moved in the slot 52 by a projection 53. The bracket 50 and the projection 53 project beyond the edges of the slot 52 on opposite sides of the side stile and therefore serve to hold the member 5I in the slot. The lever 46 is biased to the position shown in Fig. 3 by means of. a tension spring 54 arranged between one end of the lever 48 and hook 55 fixed to the arm 3l. The spring 54 biases the other end of the lever 48 against the bracket 50, as shown in Fig. 3.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 the projection 46 on the shifting lever 40 is directly below the pin 49 on the lever 48. In this position the clutch member is in the neutral position in which neither of the gears 26 or 21 is connected to the shaft 28.

When the member 5| is moved toward the left in the slot 52 (downward as viewed in Fig. 3) the lever (i8 is moved to a position in which the projection 46 assumes the position with reference to the lever 48 indicated by reference numeral 56 in Fig. 3. During this movement, a force will be exerted on the shifting member 46 tending to move the lever to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3, and there will therefore be an equal and opposite force of reaction exerted on the lever 48 which will be toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 3. Under normal conditions, this force will be less than the force exerted by the tension spring 54 and the sole effect will be that the clutch member 35 is moved into engagement with the gear 26 coupling this gear to the shaft 28.

Under some circumstances, the clutch teeth 36 will strike the portions of the gear 26 intermediate the depressions 31, and under these circumstances, further movement of the clutch member toward the engaged position would be impossible. Under these circumstances, the force of reaction exerted on the lever 48 by means of the projection 46'Will be of sufficient magnitude to overcome the force of the spring 54 and the level- 48 will accordingly be pivoted about the pin 49 relieving the pressure exerted on the shifting lever 40 and preventing damage to the shifting mechanism. The gear 26 is rotating continuously so that the condition in which the clutch teeth 36 are opposite the portions of the gear intermediate the depressions 31 will be momentary and will be corrected by the rotation of the gear 26. As soon as the depressions 31 of the gear 26 are rotated to a position opposite the clutch teeth 36 the lever 48 will be returned by the spring 54 to the position shown in Fig. 3 thereby completing the movement of the shifting lever 40 necessary to move the clutch member 35 to the engaged position. From the above description, it is clear that the clutch member 35 is yieldingly moved to the engaged position with the gear 26.

When the member 5| is moved from the position in which the clutch member 35 isengaged with the gear 26 the lever 48 exerts a force on the pin 46 tending to move the shifting member 40 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3. There is, therefore, an equal and opposite force of reaction exerted on the lever 48 acting toward the left. This force will tend to pivot the lever 48 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, and will therefore hold the lever 48 solidly in the position shown in Fig. 3. There is, therefore, no yielding movement of the lever 68 while the clutch member 35 is being moved from the engaged position.

By a similar analysis, it will be found that the clutch member 35 is yieldably moved into engagement with the gear 21 and is positively moved from the engaged position. It is obviously desirable that the clutch member be yieldingly moved into engagement with the gears so as to prevent damage to the mechanism in case the teeth of the clutch member are not properly aligned with the cooperating parts of the gears. However, since there is a possibility that the clutch member may stick in the engaged position, particularly when the clutch member is shifted under heavy load, it is equally desirable that the clutch member be moved from the engaged position positively. Both of these objects are fullled in the above described mechanism.

The driving mechanism is enclosed by a shell 51 which is secured to the side stile l by means of screws 58. The shell 51 has a skirt 59 depending around the outside of the wringer post and having an opening 6D therein through which the handle I2 projects. It will be noted that with this construction the frame supporting the wringer and driving mechanism therefor is a single casting having a shape chosen solely for its functional purposes. The shell 51, which comprises the rest of the wringcr head, serves as an enclosure for the driving and supporting mechanism. The appearance or styling of the shell 51 may, therefore, be changed materially without changing the construction of the driving and supporting mechanism. This is a considerable advantage over the wringer constructions in general use wherein the driving and supporting mechanism is built into a wringer head which also serves as the enclosure for such mechanism.

On each side of the wringer are drainboards 6l having rounded upper edges 62 just below the bite of the wringer rolls and an inclined surface leading up to this edge which serves to guide the material to the rolls. The lower edges 63 of the drainboards are rounded and present a smooth surface so that the material being wrung will not be caught on the drainboard.

Between the side stiles are upper and lower wringer rolls 64 and 65. The lower wringer roll 65 is xed to a shaft 66 having an integral coupling head 61. The coupling head has a pin 68 xed therein which cooperates with slots 69 in the coupling member 32 to provide a driving connection between the shaft 28 and the lower wringer roll. At the other end the shaft 66 is journaled in a bearing 1D which is carried in a square bearing block 1I, seated in a seat 12 integral with the side stile 2. at its upper end.

The upper wringer roll 64 is journaled on a shaft 13 which is fixed respectively at each end to depending arms 14 and 15. The shaft 13 and arms 14 and 15 serve as a carrier for the upper roll. Extending across the top of the wringer and freely pivoted at each end on the shaft 13 is a control bar 16. The control bar is provided at its center with a hand grip 11. The body of the control bar is channel-shaped, the flanges 18 thereof being presented toward the upper roll (Fig. 4). Integral with the carrier arms 14 and 15 are ratchet members 19 (Fig. 6) having notches cooperating with pawls 8| pivoted on pins 82 xed in the ends of the control bar 15 and urged toward the notches 80 by a leaf spring 83 arranged between the pawls 8| and pins 64 xed in the control bar. Loosely pivoted on each end of the shaft 13 is a guide plate 85 having a The seat 12 is open the control bar. trol bar with respect'l to ratchet members 19 is slot 86 fitting over a pin-like projection 81 on cover plates 88 secured to the ends of the side stiles I and 2. The control bar is resiliently centered with respect to the guide plates 85 by wire springs 89 having ends 90 fixed to the plates 08 and the intermediate portions fixed to pins 9| on Pivotal movement of the conlimited by flanges 92 on the ratchet members. The guide plates 85 are spaced from the ends of the control bar by spacers 93.

The upper roll and the control bar and associated parts constitute a unitary assembly which can be inserted and removed as a unit. The arms 14 and 15 have bosses 93 which fit in slots 94 in vertically slldable plates 95 carried in the inner faces of the side stiles and 2 (Figs. 2 and At the upper end of the slots 94 are hook shaped portions 96 which prevent direct upward movement of the control bar assembly. To insert or remove the control bar, the control bar.

is tilted so that the bosses 93 extend angularly beneath the hook shaped portions 96. The openings provided by the hooked portions 96 are covered by plates 91 hinged at 91a to the side stiles and 2.

The lower ends of the plates 95 have openings 98 through which the bottom frame member 3 extends. A pair of leaf springs 99, one of which bears against the lower side` of the bottom frame member 3 and the other of wni'ch is hooked through the openings 98 bias the plates 95 downward. It will be noted that the force exerted by the springs in the frame is close to the side Stiles. There is, therefore, very little danger of distorting the frame due to the spring forces. If the upper spring were omitted, the force exerted on the bottom frame member 3 would be at its center. There would then be some danger of flexings the bottom frame member and thereby causing spreading of the upper ends of the side stiles. The downward movement of plates 95 is limited by stops |00 which are fixed to the up- .per side of the bottom frame member 3 and around `the lower wringerroll shaft 66. TheI plates 95 are enclosed by the cover plates 88 fixed respectively to the side stiles and 2.

The slots 94 in the plates 95 have a central portion |02 in which the lower ends of the bosses 93 loosely rest and branched cam surfaces |03 on each side thereof which cooperate with rollers |04 journaled on shafts |05 fixed in the projections |06 and ratchet members 19. When the arms 14 and 15 are in the neutral position, shown in Fig. 7, the rollers |04 are directly above the bosses 93 and the control bar assembly is accordingly loosely carried in the slots 94. Under these conditions, the plates 95 are urged downward against the stops H00 by the leaf springs 99.

To apply pressure between the rolls the control bar is tilted to one side or the other of the central position, or in other words, toward or away from the operator. The arms 14 and 15 are tilted with the control bar by the pawls 8|. During the tilting of arms 14 and 15 the rollers |04 cooperate with the cam surfaces |03 to force the upper roll against the lower roll. The plates 95 yield upward against the tension of the springs 99 limiting the pressure between the rolls. In the position shown in Fig. 8, the rollers |04 rest in arcuate portions |01 and the direction of the '3 pressure is such that the rollers are held in this position. The upward pressure exerted on the upper roll is transmitted solely through the rollers |04 to the plates 95. The portions |02 of the slots 94 merely serve to limit the sidewise movement of the bosses 93. terial are fed between the rolls, the upper roll is forced upward, moving the control bar and plates 95 upward while the parts remain in the same relative position. As the control bar approaches the position, shown in Fig. 8, one of the pawls.

8| is lifted out of its notch in the ratchet member by engagement with the upper end of the guide plate 85. This breaks the connection between the control bar and the arms 14 and 15 and permits the control bar to be returned upon release by the operator to the position shown in Fig. 9 by the springs 89. Since the arms 14 and 15 remain in the position shown in Fig. 8, the roll pressure is not released,

To release the roll pressure, the control *bar is moved to the left, as viewed in Fig. 9, striking one of the flanges 92 on the ratchet members 19 and pivoting the arms 14 and 15 in a counterclockwise direction. This returns the arms 14 As varying thicknesses of maand 15 to the neutral position of Fig. '7 and releases the roll pressure. At the conclusion of this movement, the control bar is released and is returned to the central position by the `springs 89 and the connection between the control bar and the arms 14 and 15 is reestablished by the engagement of the pawls' 8| with the notches 00.

The roll pressure is applied by tilting the upper roll carrier (arms 14 and 15 and shaft 13) to either side of the neutral or central position and is released by returning the carrier to the neutral position. These operations are effected by tilting the control bar, there being a breakable connection between the control bar and the roll carrier so that the control bar is returned to the central position after each operation.' In the central position, the control bar is out of the operators way. Also the pressure applied to the control bar to release the wringer pressure is applied with greater leverage. A horizontal force applied to the hand grip 11 with the control bar in the position of Fig. 8 would be about two thirds as effective as the same force applied to the hand grip 11 with the control bar in the position of Fig. '1.

It will be noted that the movement of the upper roll is in a vertical direction while pressure is being applied and released since it is confined by the slots |02. Also, when the rolls are pressed together the angular position of the arms 14 and 15 is independent of the position of the plates 95. It is, therefore, impossible to release the roll pressure by wringing too great a thickness of material. This is due to the fact that in the wringing the arms 14 and 15 are wedged across the slots |02 and the cam surfaces |01, both of which are part of the plates 95.

The tilting movement of the upper roll carrier is used to apply pressure 4between the wringing rolls and is also used to control the driving connection to the lower wringer roll. This is effected by means of an arm |08 projecting from the I lower` end of the arm 14 and having a projection |09 which fits in a channel shaped slot ||0 (Fig. 5) .in the part 53 of the slide 5I. The channel shaped. portion is enlarged at its upper end to facilitate insertion of the projection |09 therein when the control bar and upper roll assembly are being inserted in the wringer. It is obvious that as the upper roll carrier is tilted, *he slide 5I will be moved in the slot 52. As explained above, this movement of the slide controlsthe driving connection to the shaft 28. When the control bar is in the central position the slide 5| will be in the center of the slot 52. 'Ihe parts are designed so that when the upper roll carrier is tilted toward the operator the wringer rolls are rotated in the direction to wring material from the side facing the operator.

Since the operation of the wringer is eiected by moving the upper roll carrier to one side of the central position, it is desirable that accidental movement of the roll carrier to the operative position be prevented. This is effected by means of a projection III on the lower end of the arm l5 which cooperates with a groove |I2 in a strip spring I i3 secured to side stile 2. This serves as a detent holding the roll carrier in the central position. The upper edge of the spring I|3 is chamfered at H4 to facilitate insertion of the control bar assembly. The centering of the roll carrier is also effected by arched strip springs H5 fixed to pins H6 on guide plates 85. The springs bear against the under side of ratchet members 19. When the roll carrier is in the central position, the springs I|5 fit in depressions ill. When the roll carrier is tilted, the springs H5 are compressed as shown' in Figs. 8 and 9.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a wringer, a lower roll. an upper roll, pressure members for pressing the upper roll against the lower roll, a carrier for the upper roll normally having a central position in which the roll pressure is released and engageable with said pressure members upon movement therefrom to apply the roll pressure, a handle on and movable relative to said carrier normally having a central position, means biasing the handle to its central position, means effective when the handle is in its central position for connecting the handle and carrier whereby the carrier is moved by the handle to apply and release the roll pressure upon movement of the handle from its central position, and means effective when the handle is away from its central position for breaking the connection between the handle and carrier whereby the handle is returned to its central position without moving the carrier upon release by the operator.

2. In a wringer, a ylower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll normally having a central position in which the roll pressure is released, means effective upon movement of the carrier from its central position for applying the roll pressure, a handle on and movable relative to the carrier having a central position, means biasing the handle 'to its central position, means effective when the handle is in its central position for connecting the handle and carrier whereby the carrier is moved to apply and release the roll pressure upon movement of the handle from its central position, and means effective when the handle is away from its central position for breaking the connection between the handle and carrier whereby the handle is returned by said biasing means to its central position without moving the carrier upon release by the operator.

3. In a wringer, a lower roll, an upper roll, a carrier for the upper roll normally having a central position in which the roll pressure is released, means effective upon movement of the ,carrier from its central position for applying the roll pressure, a handle on and movable relative to the carrier having a central position, means biasing the handle to its central position, and a connection between the handle and the carrici` whereby the carrier is moved to apply and release the roll pressure upon movement of the handle from its central position, said connection having suiicient lost motion so that the handle is returned to its central position by the biasing means without moving the carrier upon release by the operator.

4. In a wringer, a frame having a roll therein, receivers resiliently mounted on said frame, anether roll, a carrier therefor receivable in said receivers for pivotal movement therein, said carrier having a normal position in said receivers in which the carrier is free to move relative to the receivers toward and away from the first roll, means engageable by said carrier upon pivotal movement from said normal position for holding the carrier in fixed relation tothe receivers, a handle on and movable relative to said carrier for pivotally moving the carrier, means biasing the handle to a central position, and a connection between the handle and carrier whereby the car-- rier is moved toward and away from its normal position upon movement of the handle from its central position, said connection having sufficient lost motion so that the handle is returned to its central posititon by the biasing means without moving the carrier upon release by the operator.

5. In a wringer, a frame having a roll therein, receivers resiliently mounted on said frame, another roll, a carrier therefor receivable in said receivers for pivotal movement therein, said carrier having a normal position in said receivers in which the carrier is free to move relative to the receivers toward and away from the first roll, means engageable by said carrier upon pivotal movement from said normal position for holding the carrier in fixed relation to the receivers, a handle on and movable relative to. the carrier. and connections between the handle and carrier whereby the carrier is moved uponl movement of the handle from its normal position and is not moved upon return of the handle to its normal position.

GEORGE J. FILIA. 

